Diorama: the moment of the Declaration to expel the jews of Spain, 1492

Tomás de Torquemada, head of the Spanish Inquisition, presenting his case to Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. De Torquemada sought to expel the Jews from Spain, by claiming their bad influence on the “new Christians” – namely, converted Jews. Don Isaac Abarbanel and Don Abraham Senior, leaders of the Jewish community with close ties to the monarchy, tried unsuccessfully to have the decree revoked. The expulsion order was signed: the Jews could either convert to Christianity or else leave Spain.